Gaia: Happenings Toward Happiness

Which is more important to you? Integrity or Harmony?

http://ClarityQuest.gaia.com — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 14:31:46 GMT

Please answer this question first before reading on… …

Which is more important to you? Integrity or Harmony?

Integrity… …
“Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people.” ~ Spencer Johnson

“Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.” ~ W. Clement Stone

“No more duty can be urged upon those who are entering the great theater of life than simple loyalty to their best convictions.” ~ Edwin Hubbel Chapin

“It is necessary to the happiness of a man that he be mentally faithful to himself.” ~ Thomas Paine

“This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.” ~ William Shakespeare

Harmony… …
“You cannot add to the peace and good will of the world if you fail to create an atmosphere of harmony and love right where you live and work.” ~ Thomas Dreier

“Begrudging others leads to disharmony. Without harmony there can be no happiness. Therefore, let go of grudges and restore harmony. In a harmonious world, happiness is possible.” ~ Arthur Dobrin

“If you don’t need to prove that you are right or that someone else’s behavior should be punished, you can better see your way to achieving harmony in any given situation.” ~ Catherine Ingram

“Embody the three harmonies: within; with others; and with nature.” ~ Robert Gilman

“Mankind's role is to fulfill his heaven-sent purpose through a sincere heart that is in harmony with all creation and loves all things.” ~ Morihei Usehiba

Now, please answer this question “again”… …
Which is more important to your Happniess? Integrity or Harmony?

“But what is happiness except the simple harmony between a man and the life he leads.” ~ Albert Camus

What Else is Possible? Must Integrity & Harmony be mutually exclusive? Can we have both in the same moment?

“When male and female combine, all things achieve harmony.” ~ Tao Te Ching

With Gratitude, we'll see that “The world basically and fundamentally is constituted on the basis of harmony. Everything works in cooperation with something else.” ~ Preston Bradley

“From discord, find harmony.” ~ Albert Einstein

“When one reaches this state of harmony between things and one's self, one reaches a state of perfect freedom and peace–which makes everything possible and right. Life becomes perpetual revelation.” ~ Georges Braque

Project: Raindrop

http://onasearchforme.gaia.com — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 04:55:15 GMT

So, as we all have, I've decided to change the world. I thought of a project, so here seemed the best place to put it. Here's pretty much the passage straight from my journal:

"If you get a lot of people in the same area thinking, there are only so many people who can teach others. It's like pouring water on a piece of paper, only so much of it is bordering on the dry and can get the dry wet. This is a relatively slow process to get the paper entirely wet if you ask me. Relative to what you ask? To Rain. When It rains, a bunch of parts of the paper are getting wet and the water is spreading from there. It gets the paper soaked faster, using the same amount of water. In other words, once an entire community starts thinking, only those who reach into other communities will be able to get more people thinking, because everyone in their own community is already thinking! If we could get people all around the world thinking, and getting others to think, we can change the world much faster than a sole close proximity community could. So, If we imagine Zaadz as our community, we must all reach out into our own physical communities, we'll be able to shift the World Dramatically, because our real communities span the Globe! And I can tell you that only about 10% of us here at Zaadz try to get others thinking. Why? Because we are too afraid that our peers won't accept us because of these points of view. ANd we can much more easily come onto Zaadz and speak with people who are already thinking! So, Change the World! Be a rain drop, And cover the most amount of the paper possible!!!"

And for those of you who don't exactly understand what I mean by thinking, Here's my personal defintion, again from my journal:

"Thinking is a Constant expression of the Self and the Now!

We Must do what would express our maximum potential every moment, falling back on the basic instincts of our selves. We must allow our selves to be pleased, discomforted, and fall in and out of love with what ever, or whom ever, we please. We've Gotta speak out against what we think isnt Right whether it's coming from our government, our parents, our leaders, our heroes, Anyone! Abolish Irrational Fears, being, 'If I say this, I will be punished, be it excluded, abanded, looked down upon, or physically hurt" If you live without consequence, then you are thinking"

So are you with me?

Peace and Love,

Court (AKA Maya)

Ps

Feel free to add to my definition of thinking

Re: Regret and Its affect on Happiness...

http://catemurray.gaia.com — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 21:17:51 GMT

I apologise for my spelling the check did not work and my proof reading is awful x

Re: Regret and Its affect on Happiness...

http://catemurray.gaia.com — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 21:15:33 GMT

I think you are right in some ways Brett..it depends about what we have regrets...

Childhood experiences and experiences which are deeply painful stem from cirscumstance .Usually there is more than one contributing factor particularly in crisis events and turning points.

Regret is a deep downturn in energy and does affect wellbeing and happiness present and future.

How do we move on from situations which we regret.....certain actions follow with certain consequences.

I tend to look at a painful situation from all sides...

I am hot tempered I say things in the heat of the moment..... people who know me well
usually flow with me because I give lotsof love and kindness and they know my flare up in the context of my life and personality...
other people take offence...if I have unintentionally hurt someone deeply I am usually truly sorry and regret the pain I have caused that person..
If I have intentionally allowed myself to be angry with someone as an act of protest then I do not feel the same regret.I believe in authentic communication.

Negative emotions like anger, pain , regretand hurt are as much part of the emotional spectrum as happiness peace and love.
As we mature we may try and manage certain emotions like hatred and jealousy we cant necessarily block the triggers that cause these emotions as they are usually external to us but we can try and stop ourselves from getting caught up in cycle or pattern of actions associated with these powerful emotions.

In extremely painful situations which knock us completely off balance all we can do is try and find our centre again and then move consciously with the flow of events around us.
We can act and and react ..we can send love and light in many ways to situations circumstances and people past and present and future.

In doing so we can make a conscious loving connection with that person or situation.
We create at least an opportunity for healing or release to take place.

In the past I have released powerful traumatic situations by creating a time line of people and events..thruogh writing and intentional focus of energy/love/compassion i have cultivated a forgiveness pattern to the event and the person.

The person may not recipricate because of their own occluded pain which stops them from connecting with their higher self..but I at least do not carry around the burden of pain any longer.

I then at least have the potential to create happiness and share love in the future.

love and light to you Brett
and I wish lots of opportunities to share happiness love and insight in the future.
Thank you for your sensitive and thought provoking post.

catemurray

Re: The Happy Project: Project Happiness

http://turil.gaia.com — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 15:05:47 GMT

A project that I've tried before (and mostly failed at, but haven't given up yet!) is a collecting people's answers to the question, "What kind of world do you wish for?" I handed out sheets of paper with this question and a big space for them to answer and/or draw pictures. I think it's a great way to get people thinking positively about the future, and maybe motivete them to work on making it happen. That could even be a followup question, "What can you do to help make this happen?" It's also a wonderful way to bring diverse groups of people together and help them listen to eachother, which, as Michael already pointed out, is a great way to promote happiness. I tried this with my friends and family, and was sad by the lack of response. I think many people feel so hopeless nowadays, especially with the fear-based government and media that we have now. So maybe I'd be better of starting out with some hopeful news stories to get people in a better mood... Peace, Love, and Bicycles, -Turtle

Re: The Happy Project: Project Happiness

Wed, 19 Jul 2006 06:51:25 GMT

This is Good, but lets get some stories also, I want to know what everyone else is doing to actively make the world a better place.

Re: The Happy Project: Project Happiness

http://mydct.gaia.com — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 03:43:54 GMT

a great place to start is really listen to what people are telling and showing you, and then listen again

there are some very skilled people out there

which skill are they using?

The Happy Project: Project Happiness

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 18:15:09 GMT

Lets get started think what we are going to do next. This is Happenings but what is happening.

I was thinking about an experiment, kind of like what was in a movie, but not quite the same. Lets start thinking of what kinds of things we can do for Project Happiness, lets put some random acts of kindness that we can do on here and then everyday we will practice at least one and record what the results of these random acts of kindness will be.

Everyone im sure opens doors for people, and says hello, and the like, as those are kind things to do, lets make them kinder things, like paying for someones gas if you can afford it, or something along those lines. What kinds of things can we do?

While at Circus Circus in reno I spent roughly an hour in the arcade for Younglings. In that time I got a considerable ammount of tickets from various machines that give you tickets for completing a specific goal, dropping coins in at the right time. I also won a few stuffed animals from playing darts, and some ball game. On the last game I played there was a four year old boy playing the game next to me and I was ready to go so I gave him all of the prizes that I had earned from roughly twenty dollars worth of games. That little boy was so thankful and Grateful.

I understand that this isn't the best way for a random act of Kindness, but this is exactly what I start with because I can't afford to do bigger things for random people. I was always taught not to spread yourself thin while helping others when you can't pay your bills.

Re: Storm!

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 18:03:11 GMT

Turtle,

Yes, it now does sound like a linguistic disagreement. I like the way you put it, "Contentment is not complacency or inaction, instead, contentment is the ease (flow) that comes with healthy thoughts and action (peak efficiency), as opposed to the striving of unhealthy thoughts and action."

That sounds like exactly what I would consider the right way to look at it, but who am I to judge another persons perspective. Namaste for your contributions...

BRetT

Re: Storm!

http://turil.gaia.com — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 14:48:37 GMT

"I have to disagree, because to be content is not to be trying to make it better, I am never content with how happy I am, I am always trying to find more ways to make myself and the people around me happy, even if I consider myself happy at this moment. I have to keep looking, there is always some thing better, always something more meaningful, always something that adds more love and compassion to your life" I think there is a happy medium here! Contentment is also happiness to me, in that it allows me to focus on the present, rather than obsessing about the future. Sometimes that present involves planning for the future, and when I am content, I am not worried about the future, rather I am looking forward to it with contentment, so I can plan happily. How's that for some nice circular logic? I guess my point is that contentment is "trying to make it better" but in a non-attached way. Contentment is not complacency or inaction, instead, contentment is the ease (flow) that comes with healthy thoughts and action (peak efficiency), as opposed to the striving of unhealthy thoughts and action. Contentment is the balanced middle ground between too much and too little effort. Too much effort gives you burnout, while too little effort gives you complacency. But when you are contented, you are happy, and you will be putting just the right amount of effort into the job at hand. I have a feeling that this disagreement that you, Brett, have with Suzanne's idea of happiness, is not so much philosophical as it is lingustic. Though many people, especially in this competitive society of ours, believe that striving and vigilance are necessary for happiness. So, maybe that's the case for you Brett? Peace, Love, and Bicycles, Turtle

Re: Storm!

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 07:43:50 GMT

reply | remove

Re: Meaning

zsu said Apr 19, 7:07 AM:

namaste Jacqui;

To me happiness is contentement…….to me not necessarily finding meaning. One can forever seek meaning, and perhaps never find it.

Appreciation, gratitude, awareness of each moment fills me with

contentment=happiness=joy=love=light=enlightenment=bliss
Living totally every moment in the NOW.

Often one seeks this within an other person….an other will never make one happy.
As they say the feeling of happiness dwells within the soul……..the door opens inwards!

love, light, peace….to all,
Suzanne

I have to disagree, because to be content is not to be trying to make it better, I am never content with how happy I am, I am always trying to find more ways to make myself and the people around me happy, even if I consider myself happy at this moment. I have to keep looking, there is always some thing better, always something more meaningful, always something that adds more love and compassion to your life

Regret and Its affect on Happiness...

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 07:40:03 GMT

So... Lately I have been thinking a lot about regret because it has come up in a number of conversations.(I am visiting my MOM) I have come to a conclusion that regret is a sign of unhappiness with the present state of affairs in your life, and one way to make yourself happier at the moment is to look really hard at where you are at the moment and appreciate where you are today and what you have learned through your past experiences so as to learn that regret is holding on to the past and not appreciating the factors in your life which would not be the way they are had that not happened.

I will start by saying that I consider myself weathered, I have been through some life experiences that have made me who I am today and I have learned to appreciate myself and have love for myself for making it through these tough times that I consider will either "make or break" a person. For instance, Through out my childhood, my father was abusive, and I was in fostercare for around four years of my life. My sister was molested by my first step father while I was growing up. I have been abandoned, kicked out on the street, shown no respect, been homeless, Made it through the Army, loved, lost, and damn near died.

NO!! I do not consider myself any different then anyone else who has gone through more or less then I have, because I realize that different experiences affect and teach different people, different lessons.

I also realize that without these life experiences I would not be who I am today, and wouldnot be as emotionally mature as I am right now, and I realize that I learned a hell of a lot about the nature of the human condition through these life events.

I know what true happiness is, because I have been through the worst unhappiness. I know what it is to truly be loved because I have fealt as if I have had noone that loves me. I Know pain is the greatest teacher, and that with pain come great joy, and I know that without destruction there can not be creation. I know how to truly make a person happy, because I have seen what makes people unhappy. And I know compassion because in times of need I have been the reciever of such compassion.

Life is supposed to teach you how to make tough decisions and the only way to learn how to make tough decisions, is by putting a person in a situation in which they have no choice but to make a tough decision.

On that note, what are other peoples thoughts on the subject of regret, and please prove me wrong so that I may have a better understanding of what it means to regret, or to not live your life to the fullest...

BRetT

Re: Gross National Happiness policy

http://turil.gaia.com — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 15:58:36 GMT

I'll note that the Harvard Positive Psych class was the most popular class in the history of Harvard, with about 800 students enrolling (it's a lecture class taught in an auditorium)!

Re: Gross National Happiness policy

http://jacqui.gaia.com — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 14:45:53 GMT

Thank you. I have only watched one of the lectures and I am already excited and charged. I have been pleading with the psychology department at my school to start a positive psychology course.

-Jacqui

Re: Gross National Happiness policy

Fri, 23 Jun 2006 07:11:09 GMT

WOW, great idea, how do you think we should go about trying to lobby it? Shouldn't be too hard, but we have to have a writer for that sort of thing, plus, does anyone know any psycologists willing to do the research, or write the survey? If we did that, you could take it to your city counsel and make the suggestion. I am willing to do that much, someone should start a website or something. That was a great idea turtle.

Gross National Happiness policy

http://turil.gaia.com — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 13:17:57 GMT

Ok, I'll offer my thoughts on happiness. Having just taken* Tal Ben-Shahar's course on Positive Psychology at Harvard, I'm convinced that creating both local and national policies that focus on assessing happiness, as they do in Bhutan with their Gross National Happiness (GNH), is not only a good idea, but very doable. Even my working class city of Somerville, Massachusetts (USA) has done something similar. They offered a survey for residents that asked about their day to day lives and what their concerns were and what they liked in the city. Then the city departments worked to integrate the results of the survey into city plans. It wasn't the most effective project out there, but it was a start as far as I'm concerned. I'd like to see that kind of thing get even more effective and widespread. So, I'd like to see a group created to work with positive psychologists and politicians to come up with a practical assessment for social happiness. And then to turn that assessment into public policy. There's been some work done to this effect in England and Scotland, I believe. So there is precedent even in the Western world. Perhaps we could come up with a project proposal here? Peace, Love, and Bicycles, -Turtle * and by "taken" I mean followed along online here: Positive Psychology lectures

Hey All

Thu, 22 Jun 2006 10:11:05 GMT

Hey all, I havent really been around much, but from what it looks like not a lot of people have. This pod has a lot of potential, and I feel bad that I haven't been keeping it up cause I just got a package from Zaadz.com for being an ambassador, wonderful package, im sure many of you got it. So here is the thing, Not much has been being said in here, so lets get back up to how busy we were. I in for it, what about you??

Happiness is love and compassion,

Brett

Re: What makes you happy?

http://jacqui.gaia.com — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 03:06:18 GMT

I posted my list on my blog.

What makes you happy?

http://jacqui.gaia.com — Wed, 31 May 2006 21:56:42 GMT

I think it is a good idea to have a list of things that makes you happy.

I remember reading in some self-help book years ago to do this. I have revamped my list ever couple months or years since then. When I get into a funk I find it helpful to get my list out do a couple things on it.

I have done this activity with friends and in groups. it can be done like free association by asking the person to list all the things, big and small, that make them happy.

Re: Meaning

http://kinglee7777.gaia.com — Tue, 02 May 2006 07:31:58 GMT

Dear Jacqui.

Hello ! everyone.

Its meaningful to observe the way sufferings set in, stay, continue and go off , the
same applies to various stages fo life into being and unbeing , to be compassoinate or to be selfish ,for one, the later might be a reflection of the development of one practice, a test of progress of one mental and spiritual ity ,or simply a struggle of one self in seeking the truthto test out one determination , for only the doer knows his/her stage ,but what everway it can be ,wisdom and compassion are the prerequisites ,without which ,often than not ,it can lead to unwholesomeness and the effort to back forth .

Some karmic activities have no meaning ,are neutral, e.g. eating and sleeping are neither wholesome or unwholesome .

Thanks ,Leendert meaning is very individual ,and intentions is more relevant ,as we find meaning ( interpretation) of its relevancy to our own experiences and stage of practise
,and as such tend to interpret according to ones vocab and understanding .